New Orbiter Beta Released (r.13, Mar 7, 2015)

[blixel]

I'm having trouble extracting the file Moon_HiRes.7z.002, which I downloaded via torrent. Its md5 sum is correct, but when I try to extract it in 7-Zip, I get an error message saying 7-Zip cannot open it as an archive.

Moon_HiRes.7z.001 also had the correct checksum and extracted fine, and was from the same download.

What am I forgetting to do?

Probably nothing. The archive is broken up into 2 pieces, but it's actually just 1 archive. When you extracted Moon_HiRes.7z.001, 7-Zip knew that it was a multi-file archive and automatically opened and extracted Moon_HiRes.7z.002 as well.

 

[Felix24]

Ahh, that makes sense. Thanks.

 

[Bibi Uncle]

What a great update Martin ! Thank you so much for all the hard work you have done for Orbiter. :hail:

I don't know if I'm off-topic, but I have two questions related to the new Orbiter. First, I saw in the API that there is a new VESSEL4, that only defines the constructor and a new RegisterPanelArea. Will there be other differences and what is the purpose of the new RegisterPanelArea ?

Also, I saw that MeshgroupTransform is still not supported by external clients. Since the external clients must be reworked in order to respond to the new terrain rendering, I think that it would be great to make the external clients able to implement MeshgroupTransform.

 

[4throck]

On my tests with Mars (high resolution files) the terrain disappears when I pass about 10km altitude. Dropping altitude will make me go below the terrain (when it becomes visible again).

Lower altitudes or below datum terrain (Vallis Marineris) are ok. So my guess is that there's some sort of cut-off dependent on altitude.

 

[Topper]

4throck, did you install the low resolution files for Mars also?
Because as far as I understood, it's mandotory to install the low resolution files first. But even if I don't have big trouble with the visualization of the terrain, I have trouble with the contact detection on higher terrains (See first part of post 138).
Can someone confirm or dispute this issue? I attached a scenario file on that post for testing.

 

[4throck]

Yes. Lower resolution are there. I first noticed that behaviour when trying to climb Olympus Mons in low res. So I don't think that data resolution is a factor here.

This situation shows the problems. You start landed in mid air, then you fall into the terrain.

BEGIN_DESC

END_DESC

BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT
  System Sol
  Date MJD 52006.8840534044
  Help CurrentState_img
END_ENVIRONMENT

BEGIN_FOCUS
  Ship GL-NT
END_FOCUS

BEGIN_CAMERA
  TARGET GL-NT
  MODE Cockpit
  FOV 60.09
END_CAMERA

BEGIN_HUD
  TYPE Surface
END_HUD

BEGIN_MFD Left
  TYPE Surface
  SPDMODE 1
END_MFD

BEGIN_MFD Right
  TYPE Map
  REF Mars
  BTARGET Olympus
  ZOOM
  TRACK ON
END_MFD

BEGIN_SHIPS
GL-NT:DeltaGlider
  STATUS Landed Mars
  POS -104.1039930 11.6950000
  HEADING 191.81
  ALT 2.534
  AROT -98.619 14.335 -165.784
  AFCMODE 7
  PRPLEVEL 0:0.871455 1:0.959235
  NAVFREQ 0 0 0 0
  XPDR 0
  GEAR 1 1.0000
  AAP 0:0 0:0 0:0
END
END_SHIPS

 

[Post much?]

Finally there is true level 11/12+ support! I can't wait until the new pltex is finished, so this bug, which should have been reported years ago, no longer has to be dealt with.

 

[Sword7]

SVN import download problem

I tried to download Orbiter beta test from SVN server but it asked me to enter username and password. I did not see any instructions on that topics. That's why I want to try Orbiter with terrain elevations.

Thanks,
Sword7

 

[orb]

How are you doing the checkout of the SVN repository, Sword7?

I've had no problems getting it either with executing "svn co svn://orbiter-forum.com/orbiter" or with simply pasting the URL to TortoiseSVN.

 

[Sword7]

How are you doing the checkout of the SVN repository, Sword7?

I've had no problems getting it either with executing "svn co svn://orbiter-forum.com/orbiter" or with simply pasting the URL to TortoiseSVN.

Yeah. I tried check outs and it worked now. Thanks.

 

[Loru]

Found some snow flat and long enough to land in Himalayas.

Also suggestion: DG hold alt autopilot (that atmospheric one) needs to probe terrain in front of DG not below. When you set it to less than 1000 it tends to crash into the mountains. However it's fun to atch how it tries to follow terrain shape.

 

[jroly]

This looks so much fun, I want to play it, but I have assignments to do so better not touch it until next weekend. Watched Bixel's video thou, would mind if he would like to do another video showing some other new features, I understand there is more realistic physics etc?

 

[fred18]

One question:

the dear old orbiter 2010 had one peculiar property that is an anyway limited dimension of the folder, even if you installed hundreds of addons and beautiful textures it is still contained in a couple of gigabytes, portable with a normal pen drive of 8GB max. Together with this capability there was the possibility to have multiple installs of orbiter on the same computer for many purposes: fresh installs for addons testing, dedicated installs for special addons (such as SSU or NASSP) etc.

now the full install is a huge amount of Gigabytes so the scenario has changed

would it be possible (if it is already possible i'm sorry, but I couldn't find it) to point in the orbiter configuration to a dedicated texture directory for planets, moons etc, so it will be possible to have multiple installations of orbiter which share the same textures folders?

the only thing I've found in orbiter config is this:

; === Subdirectory locations
ConfigDir = .\Config\
MeshDir = .\Meshes\
TextureDir = .\Textures\
HightexDir = .\Textures2\
ScenarioDir = .\Scenarios\

but if I modify textureDir then also the textures for the addons will need to be placed in the planetary texture repository on the pc.

So, sorry for making it so complicated but it's a very simple thing, is it possible to have a dedicated planetary textures directory to which orbiter points, so it will be possible to share that directory between different orbiter installs?

thank you again for this marvellous job!

 

[Ripley]

Some time ago, Martin wrote this:
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=21471

And after, I wrote this (in Italian)
http://www.tuttovola.org/index.php?topic=4847.0

 

[fred18]

Some time ago, Martin wrote this:
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=21471

And after, I wrote this (in Italian)
http://www.tuttovola.org/index.php?topic=4847.0

Yep thank you, I know I can do this, but this will still include planetary textures AND addon textures together, which will mean that we have to merge all the textures from all the different installs.

I was thinking that since now planetary textures are so big and important they could have a dedicated directory and at that point I would make a repository only of those.

 

[Ripley]

Yes, I see your point here.

So, you say Textures and Textures2 folders would keep on containing addon-only textures (to preserve compatibility), and Martin should create other new default-planetary-only Textures (and Textures2 - if needed) folders?

 

[fred18]

Yes, I see your point here.

So, you say Textures and Textures2 folders would keep on containing addon-only textures (to preserve compatibility), and Martin should create other new default-planetary-only Textures (and Textures2 - if needed) folders?

yep something like that, IMHO now that planetary textures have become so big and important and a serious value added in orbiter and now that the files for planets are so numerous I think it could be the case to separate folders between vehicles and planets, and once this is done a common repository for planetary textures will be very easy to do (as described in your linked thread).

 

[martins]

Couldn't you just create a symbolic link for the Earth, Moon and Mars folders inside the Textures folder to a different Orbiter install?

 

[Loru]

Hopefully not dumb question.

I noticed that surface maps are dxt1 with no alpha map. Instead alpha maps are located in "mask" folder that has nightlights as rgb and mask as alpha. Is that correct and why?

Wouldn't it be better to store alpha map in daylight texture?

 

[martins]

Orbiter Beta SVN commit #4

Some minor bug fixes:

• Bug fix: Launchpad splitter elements lost left pane after Launchpad minimize/restore operation [ref: http://orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?p=465056&postcount=21]
• ElevationManager: now takes into account max resolution limit [ref: http://orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?p=465140&postcount=37]
• ElevationManager: modified algorithm for linear interpolation to conform with mesh visual
• Textures: obsolete Earth hires base textures removed [ref: http://orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?p=465870&postcount=125]